A (Typical) Love Story
by Burp Slurp Squint
Summary: They were childhood best friends but the love they had for each other was more than that. "Love is patient." Time will test them. "Love understands." You always end up being messed up. But after all the mess and misunderstandings, all the blanks and the lies, all the painful experiences and broken promises, he will still be your Romeo.


A/N: I promise to update the "A Chase to the Past" soon (why am I even saying this here) Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy my ficcy! Writing is new to me again. I've stopped for n months bc of thy internet and I hate it. So yeah, please review and tell me how I can improve or something! (Or you can just support me huhu guys be kind – well, I know you are hihi)

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DISCLAIMER: All hail Tachibana Higuchi!

* * *

"Natsu-chan!" I hugged him.

"Ouch!" He complaint as I accidentally hit his wound.

"But I missed you so much!"

"Hn." was all he said but I could clearly remember how his cheeks gone red.

.

**"Mikan-chan, what did you bring?" Nonoko, who was seated infront of me, asked me. Yesterday, our teacher asked us to bring something that we valued the most.**

_**Well, I really have a lot of stuff that I value but this picture, no, this person... is really valuable to me.**_

**"A picture." I shyly answered her as I try to hid the photograph.**

**"Whose picture?!" She excitedly asked me.**

**"Na-"**

**"Oy, Polka." Someone called me from the doorframe.**

_**It's him.**_** My heart skipped a beat. There was no one else who would dare to call me that.**

.

"Polka!" Natsume called out as he ran towards me.

"Stop calling me that! It's embarassing." I lowered my head as I earned stares from people.

"Why? It's just fine." He didn't care about those stares.

"Oi Polka!" Yome, one of the people who loves bullying me, called me.

"Where the hell did that originated, by the way?" One of his friends said and they all laughed.

"Maybe that's from her panties!" Someone from the group suggested and the laugh grew louder.

_It actually is._ My heart sunk. _This is the end of my dignity as a girl._

But little did I know what was going on Natsume's head. The next thing I knew, he was punching those guys, screaming something about not calling me that ever again.

I tried to stop him, to stop them, but they won't until they were sent to the principal's office where they got their detentions.

"You're stupid." I told him on our way home that day.

"Hn."

"But that was really my panties. Ahhh! I'm going to die!" I whined like a little kid.

"Shut up."

"How can I?! You saw my panties! My dignit-"

"I'm going to marry you anyway." He cut me off, looking everywhere but me.

"Wha-" I was about to ask him to repeat what he said but decided not to.

From there, we walked in silence until we arrived our house.

"Bye." I said but he grabbed my wrist and turned me around.

He kissed me on my forehead then ran away like he was being chased by a dog. Nonetheless, a smile formed on my lips.

_Natsume losing his cool. _I chuckled. _That was a first... The kiss, I mean._

.

"**Natsu-kun!" I called back as I made my way to him.**

"**I'm pretty sure you have a picture of Aoi. Can I borrow it?" He said so quietly I barely heard him.**

"**Is this for the homework?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Wait." I told him as I was about to go back to look for his sister's picture. But not long after, I heard him curse.**

"**Mikan, can you give it to me at our room? Our teacher's on his way." And with that, he was gone.**

.

**I was going to their classroom when I overheard two girls giggling near the doorframe.**

"**He had no choice but to borrow something from me and I gave him my picture." The first girl said, giggling.**

"**You're so lucky to be his seatmate!" The other one complaint, jealousy was evident in her voice.**

"**He even glared at me but I didn't back down. Hah! He's caught by Sumire's hands."**

**After taking some time of listening to them, I finally had the courage to go to Natsume's classroom.**

"**Ano... Excuse me, is Natsume inside?" I asked the two girls who were seating near the door.**

**Before calling Natsume, a girl with a permed-like hair looked at me head-to-toe, the disgust evident on her face.**

"**What?" Natsume went to me, anger evident on his face.**

"**Are you ma—" I was about to ask when he snapped.**

"**WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"**

"**Wha—" But he cut me off again.**

"**IT'S JUST A PICTURE, MIKAN. A PICTURE. WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO GIVE IT TO ME."**

"**It didn't took that much time!" I defended. Seriously, it only took me less than 5 minutes.**

"**I told you my teacher's coming!" He said, trying to be calm.**

"**Sorry." was all I could say while I looked at the floor. I couldn't look at him in the eyes.**

_**It's all your fault, Mikan.**_

"**Stupid." Something was off in his voice which made me searched his eyes. It was regretful. It was hurt. It was... sorry.**

"**Natsume, what's wrong?" I tried to reach out but before I could even feel his skin, he turned his back on me.**

"**Go back to your class." And with that, he walked away.**

.

**That day, they were dismissed earlier than us. To my surprise, he didn't wait for me.**

_**This is a first.**_

**He used to wait for me after class. But that incident happend the second time around, then third then fourth...**

**On one lucky day, I finally bumped into him.**

"**Natsume-kun!" I greeted him with my usual bright smile and all.**

"**Mikan..." His eyes were wide with shock.**

"**Natsume, how-" But before I could ask him how he was doing, a girl went near him.**

"**Natsu-chan."**

_**That name was the one I used to call him.**_

"**Mikan, this is Sumire. Sumire, Mikan." Natsume introduced us but he couldn't look at me in the eyes.**

**My chest tightened.**

_**What's this feeling?**_** I couldn't help but chuckled rather bitterly.**

"**Is she your girlfriend?" Was the first question that escaped my mouth.**

"**Mik-" Natsume's voice was filled with disbelief, though I was pretty sure only I could detect it.**

"**Soon." The girl said too sweetly which made me hiss.**

_**Mikan, you look pathetic.**_** I mentally slapped myself and forced myself to smile.**

"**That's good. But you still have to fight with me, Miss. I'm not going to give you my bestfriend just like that." I said with clear hatred in my voice while faking a smile at her.**

**And before that Sumire or Natsume could even react, I walked away from them – fast.**

**I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. They were about to fall. But starting today, no one should see it – not even Natsume.**

.

**The following day, without any notice, the fight started. And I was the victim.**

**I was walking at the cafeteria when one of her friends "accidentally" bumped me causing my food and drink to spill. Fortunately, I had an extra uniform in my locker; however, I wasn't able to eat anything. The money I used to buy my poor food was the only money I had that day.**

**The day following that, once again, I lost.**

**I was walking towards OUR sakura tree when I saw Sumire kissing Natsume.  
**_**Yes, Sumire kissing Natsume and not the other way around.**_** I tried to convince myself.**

**I walked away, crying.**

_**Such a pathetic, crybaby, Mikan.**_

.

"Natsu-chan!" I called him as he stopped to look at me sideways.

"Why are you so slow, slowpoke?" He said which made me pout.

"You never fail to insult me, Natsu-chan!" I ran towards him and held his hands.

"Let's go." He said looking ahead, to the big house infront of us, to his house.

.

"But I wanna marry her!" I heard Natsume shouted from behind the doors while I was her, sitting on the floor outside.

His father chuckled.

"Natsume, yes, I know. I'm not even against it."

"So why can't we marry now? She really wants to marry me now and I might lose her if we won't get married now." He explained impatiently to his father like it was so obvious and his father was so dumb not to get it.

"Love is patient, Natsume. " The door opened and a pair of crimson eyes looked down at me, smiling.

"...like what this young girl is doing." His smile got brighter as he offered his big hands.

I smiled at him and accepted his offer, and together we went inside to where Natsume is.

.

**I slowly opened my eyes.**

_**Love...is patient.**_

.

"**Natsu-kun!" I called him since I saw him alone at the hallway.**

"**Mikan." He said softly. It was like full of love, full of longing, full of...**

_**Stop it.**_

"**How—how are you?" I continued to smile at him brightly even though there was this lump on my throat.**

"**Fine." He said as he was about to walk away.**

"**It's almost Valentines'!" I suddenly blurt out.**

.

"February 14th, huh?" I thought loudly as I was brushing my teeth.

"Mikan, you must go now or you'll be late!" My mom was a panicking a little already.

"Yes, Mom!" I said as I finished preparing and all.

I bid my goodbye to her then went out.

"Hi."

I was speechless. Natsume was standing infront of me.

There were 14 balloons. A cake. And a lot of flowers.

"Natsume..."

"I suggest you close your mouth, young lady." He said as he gave me his signature smirk.

"Nats—"

"Every Valentines', it will be something like this. I might not be your everyday-sweet-guy, but you know, there can be exceptions." He looked away, blushing.

"Natsume, thank you." I hugged him, tight.

"I suppose I like a kiss better and a "thank you" every Valentines'." Then he chuckled ever so softly.

And well, I did kiss him for the first time on the cheeks.

"Thank you." I snuggled

.

"**Hn." He said, shrugging off the thought and just like that, he simply walked away from me.**

"**Natsume." I ran after him****then grabbed his arm.**

**He just stared blankly at me, like he was hiding his whole world.**

"**What's wrong? Please tell me." I was on the brink of crying yet again.**

"**Nothing's wrong, Mikan." He calmly said.**

"**Then what happened to us?" I blurted even before I could stop myself.**

**He shuffled uncomfortably.**

_**Are you that uncomfortable with me now?**_

"**There... there was no us... I guess."**

**Shattered. My knees gave in.**

"**Mikan!" He held me before I hit the floor.**

"**Let go." I firmly said but he didn't budge.**

"**I SAID LET GO!" His eyes widened but he did what I said. Slowly, he let me go.**

**He was about to walk away when I spoke again.**

"**I should have known, silly me. You're not so different from my dad, are you?" I chuckled a sad laugh.**

.

**Valentine's day was fast approaching.**

_**Well, tomorrow's the day, Mikan. And you're still pathetic.**_** I sighed.**

**I rolled on my bed, not wanting to get up.**

"**Mikan, you'll be late!" My mom called.**

"**I feel sick!" I shouted back as she was downstairs.**

**I heard footsteps coming this way.**

"**Are you okay?" She peeked in as I looked back at her and gave her a sad smile.**

**She gave a smile back to me, a much sadder smile.**

.

"Dad, please don't leave us!" A 7-year-old me begged a much older and mature man.

"I'm sorry, Mikan."

"But you promised me that you'll never leave me. Right, Mom?" I cried like crazy as I looked at my mom who was crying her eyes out, too.

"It's... it's over between me and your mom." He said sadly.

"WHY!" I shouted at him.

_I hate you, Dad._

"I just... found someone better."

"BUT MOM IS THE BEST!" I screamed at him like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Mikan, please, stop. I.. I have to leave." I tried to stop him. I grabbed him but I was such a weakling. I saw him walked away. My mom cried and cried like there was no tomorrow.

After a few hours of crying, my mom was finally able to get me to bed.

"Why did he leave, Mom?"

"It's for you, baby." She sadly replied, a tear escaping her eyes.

"I don't understand it."

"You will, sometime. And you must know that he did it because he loves you." She said as she sang my favorite lullaby.

.

"**I still don't get it, Mom." I suddenly said.**

**She chuckled sadly.**

"**Natsume problem, eh?" She asked.**

"**What?" I was taken aback by my mom's question.**

"**You usually ask about your dad whenever you have problems with Natsume." She had entered my room now and sat beside me.**

**I sighed.**

"**Your dad loves us more than anything, Mikan. But he was blackmailed. He had no choice but to protect you, to protect us." She stared at nowhere.**

"**Your dad was simply working hard but got someone's attention – Koizumi's. She flirted with your dad but your dad said no, but she kept on insisting him." She continued, the story finally being told to me.**

"**One day, she finally did it. She told your dad she was going to harm you if he won't agree with her terms. She was so rich, Mikan. I was nothing. She was so damn rich." I flinched, that was the first time my mom cussed, too.**

"**And you were so young, so innocent. But at that early age, you were hurt by the world badly. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you from the world, Mikan. I'm so sorry that dad has to do all the work." She looked at me. Sadness, guilt, a lot of emotions were shown by her beautiful eyes.**

"**Mom..." I sat up and hugged her tightly.**

_**At least I finally understood. Natsume's way different from my dad. How could I compare my dad to that jerk?**_

"**Thank you." I said as I continued hugging her tightly.**

.

"**Where have you been?" Natsume was standing infront of our classroom.**

"**None of your bussiness." I stated flatly.**

"**Half day has gone, Mikan." He stated it as if I was too dumb not to notice it.**

"**I know." I entered the room but went out again because I know he wanted to say something.**

_**And you still care, huh.**_

"**I want to talk to you." He said the moment I was out the room again.**

**I looked at him, telling him to continue.**

"**Meet me at the sakura tree. Six in the evening." He then walked away.**

"**I didn't even agree, yet." I said, talking to myself as I went in our classroom.**

.

**5:59 pm**

"**Such guts for being late." I said as the sakura tree came to my view.**

**6:00 pm**

**I sat down and that was when it all started.**

_**We were both young when I first saw you.**_

_**I close my eyes and the flashback starts:**_

_**I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.**_

.

_**See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.**_

_**See you make your way through the crowd**_

_**And say, "Hello, "**_

_**Little did I know...**_

.

_**That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,**_

_**And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"**_

_**And I was crying on the staircase**_

_**Begging you, "Please don't go"**_

_**And I said...**_

.

"Hi! My name is Sakura Mikan but please call me Mikan!" I introduced myself.

My classmates welcomed me in chorus and I beamed at them.

"Go seat there." My teacher pointed a seat next to me raven-haired boy.

As I sat beside him, he started telling me his 'rules'.

"No touching. Your stuff should not pass this line. You shouldn't talk to me during class hours. No drooling, no sleeping. Don't disturb me when I'm reading my manga. Don't..."

I chuckled and he started at me like he was going to kill me.

"You're such a talkative seatmate." I commented at him.

"What?!" He said it with such disbelief and anger and... disgust?

"I said I want you to be my best friend." I smiled at him.

His eyes widened but composed himself right away. He looked away from me but I saw him blushing.

"Yeah, whatever." Were his way of disclosing things back then.

I smiled.

.

_**So I sneak out to the garden to see you.**_

_**We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew**_

_**So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while.**_

.

_**'Cause you were Romeo – I was a scarlet letter,**_

_**And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."**_

_**But you were everything to me,**_

_**I was begging you, "Please don't go."**_

_**And I said...**_

.

"Natsu-chan, I'm scared." I covered my ears as thunder strucked again.

"Don't worry, I'm with you. I won't leave you." He said bravely.

"Natsume-sama." A voice called Natsume.

"Over here!" He called out as another thunder roared.

We were at the school chapel. Well, actually, we were playing but then it suddenly rained so hard we had to stay in the chapel.

"Mikan, wait for me here, okay?" He was about to stand up but I tugged his shirt.

"Don't leave me." I said, crying hard.

"I'll be right back before another thunder roar again. I promise." And with that, I let him go, hoping that he would do what he promised.

_1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7..._

A lightning struck. A thunder was surely about to roar. I shut my eyes tight.

_...8...9..._

Someone hugged me as the thunder roared.

"I told you." I heard him say and even though I was closing my eyes, I was pretty sure he was smirking.

.

_**I got tired of waiting**_

_**Wondering if you were ever coming around.**_

_**My faith in you was fading**_

_**When I met you on the outskirts of town.**_

_**And I said...**_

.

_**"Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone.**_

_**I keep waiting for you but you never come.**_

_**Is this in my head? I don't know what to think."**_

_**He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said...**_

.

"**Mikan." A voice called me and a familiar shiver ran through my spine. I looked at the source of the voice.**

"**Natsume." I took a sharp breath as I saw him. I never realized how perfect he was – messy raven hair, soft but strong crimson eyes. It was perfect.**

_**No, he's perfect.**_

"**I'm sorry." He murmured that I barely understood it.**

"**I... Mikan, she was going to hurt you. I never thought it would end up like this. It took me years to convince my dad. I..." I cut him off.**

"**And you're not making any sense, Mister."**

**He took a deep breath.**

"**That day when I should have borrowed Aoi's picture, I borrowed something from her instead. I asked her to let me borrow her freaking hairtie but she won't let me and insisted on taking her picture. I had no choice, Mikan. I didn't bring anything because I was so damn irresponsible with my life." He ran his hand through his hair.**

"**I... Then she said that if I wouldn't get it, she would tell you that we're an item and I was just hiding it from you. Knowing how you think," I cut him off again.**

"**EXCUSE ME MISTER."**

**He just rolled his eyes then continued, "I know I should stop her. I thought that was it but hell was I wrong. She started spreading rumors about us in our class. I told her to stop but she said she would hurt you if I would go against her plan. It took me a while before I was able to convince my dad to use his superiority to scare Sumire off. And it did work!"**

_**This is so familiar.**_

"**Mikan, you should understand that I was just trying to..."**

"**...protect me." I finished his sentence and looked at him straight in the eyes.**

"**Why does everybody have to protect me? Am I such a weakling?" I asked him, hurt was evident in my eyes.**

"**Because everybody can't help but to love you, Mikan."**

**My eyes widened at a sudden realization.**

_**Is... is this what mom somewhat felt? When she said dad has to do all the work?**_

**I looked at Natsume whose eyes were full of love.**

_**Did she think that she was a weakling... that's why she was so sorry she couldn't protect me?**_

_**I was nothing... **_**My mom's voice echoed in my head.**

_**I was nothing...**_

_**I was nothing...**_

_**I was nothing...**_

**I curled up, tears flowing on my cheeks.**

"**Mikan. I'm sorry. I..." He knelt infront of me, longing to craddle me.**

"**I'm so messed up, Natsume." I couldn't look at him.**

"**It's okay. We can always fix ourselves."**

_**I love the way he used "we". I love the way he used "ourselves".**_

"**We're best friends, right? And you know, maybe..." He paused which made me looked at him.**

"**Maybe we can be more than that like girlfriend, boyfriend thing or something." He was eating his words already but I was so sure of what I heard.**

**I laughed and he looked at me like I was going crazy.**

_**How crazy and messed up life can get?**_

"**Where's my balloons, flowers and cake?"**

.

_**"Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.**_

_**I love you, and that's all I really know.**_

_**I talked to your dad – go pick out a white dress**_

_**It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes.'"**_

.

_**'Cause we were both young when I first saw you...**_

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A/N (part 2): SORRY FOR ALL THE TYPOS AND SUCH. Tbh, I'm so excited to post this bc, well, it's like a fresh start to me! :3

DISCLAIMER (part 2): Bc I didn't want to spoil u gais. TAYLOR SWIFT'S LOVE STORY! All hail Taylor Swift~


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